


The First Wish

by strangerthingswasntthatgood



Category: The Long Walk - Richard Bachman
Genre: Blood, Death, M/M, blood mention, death mention, gavries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23646652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangerthingswasntthatgood/pseuds/strangerthingswasntthatgood
Summary: Ray Garraty wins the Walk. His first wish is something of a controversy. His second and third, too. His first wish is that his fellow Walker, McVries, isn’t killed. The Crowd might enjoy their little show, but the Major does not
Relationships: Ray Garraty/Peter McVries
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	The First Wish

It was just the three of them left.

Stebbins walked in the back, like he had since the start line. McVries held his hand, as if his life depended on it. Ray supposed it did; they were both walking with three warnings, but they walked.

Stebbins got a warning. Ray didn’t even dare to look back. He had seen so much death these past few days that he didn’t even want to watch Stebbins die.

McVries said something, but Ray couldn’t hear him. He pulled at his hand, pulled at him to keep going. And they did.

Stebbins got another warning. Ray finally turned around to have a look at him. His expression had become something like Olson’s just before he died, but Stebbins looked more… worn, in a way. He looked more dead.

Stebbins got his third warning. As he did, he fell to the ground. Ray didn’t know how he knew, but he knew Stebbins was dead already. But they’d shoot him, of course. Just to be sure. And they did.

That left him with Pete.

Ray’s feet hurt. His back hurt, his legs hurt, his head hurt, everything hurt and he was ready to stop walking the second he knew Pete would walk on without him, but before he could voice his plans, Pete talked.

“You go on. You’ve got your ma and Jan.”

They kept walking. Pete’s hand felt sweaty in his own, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were this close to each other. What mattered was that they got some human contact before they both died.

“No.”

Pete shook his head and let go off Ray’s hand. With what little strength he had left, he pushed Ray forward and planted his feet. Ray could tell he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I love you.”

The Crowd silenced. Each second felt like an hour, maybe two. Their eyes locked, Pete’s lips moved and Ray could hear the words as if he was watching from the crowd.

“I know. I love you, too, Garraty.”

The shot was deafening. Pete dropped to his knees and wailed. The shot had taken badly. Blood spread across Pete’s left thigh, dropped to the pavement…

“Wait!” Garraty screamed. He couldn’t recognize his own voice, it was too loud and obnoxious. “Wait! My first wish is that you don’t kill him!”


End file.
